Project Description
Our Research Focus
The HeBEC Network explores six key questions at the intersection of climate change, health, behaviour, and technology:
- Climate and Mental Health
What is the long-term relationship between rising temperatures, natural hazards, mental disorders, and mental health in adults, and how do indicators of technology acceptance influence the willingness to use or accept small- and large-scale technological solutions to mitigate these impacts?
- Eco-Anxiety
How does eco-anxiety, as an emotional response to environmental changes, affect individuals’ psychological well-being in the long term, and how might technology acceptance relate to the adoption of interventions addressing eco-anxiety?
- Protective Factors
What role do psychological protective factors—such as social competencies or coping strategies—play in mitigating climate change-related mental health challenges within real communities and online environments, and how do these interact with the acceptance of emerging technologies?
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies
How can recent technological developments, including generative artificial intelligence, provide effective strategies for coping with climate change-related mental health challenges, and what are the key acceptance indicators that influence their adoption over time?
- Technology Use and Adaptation
To what extent does adults’ technology use, moderated by their acceptance of specific technological solutions, influence the relationship between climate change and mental health?
- Societal Adoption
How well do innovative, technology-based interventions align with different natural and socio-ecological contexts to promote long-term behavioural changes in adults, and what role do individual and public acceptance indicators play in ensuring their effectiveness and adoption?
What we do
Over the next three years, the HeBEC Network will:
- develop an integrated theoretical framework explaining how climate change affects mental health and behaviour
- conduct meta-analyses and secondary data studies using large-scale datasets
- explore innovative technologies—AI, digital tools, sensors, and robotics—that may support individual resilience
- host international workshops and online meetings, bringing together experts from psychology, health, climate science, and engineering
- publish findings in peer-reviewed journals, share insights at global conferences, and engage with policymakers and practitioners
Our Vision
We envision a future where societies are better equipped to:
- strengthen mental health and resilience in the face of climate change
- encourage sustainable behavioural changes in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- harness the power of technology and innovation to provide evidence-based interventions
- build international collaboration that connects research to real-world action
By integrating science, technology, and policy, the HeBEC Network seeks to protect not only the planet but also the mental well-being of the people who inhabit it.